When He's Gone
by RoseAngelx
Summary: Warning: Contains spoilers for the Lost Future or the Unwound Future.   Professor Layton's home was very different now, without Luke.


**Warning: **Contains spoilers for "Professor Layton and the Lost Future"

I finished the game yesterday, and had myself in tears for the entire epilogue scene. The Professor Layton series is officially one of my favourite game series in the world.

Anyway, this came to me last night, after I went obsessive for three hours and spent them looking at Professor Layton fanart, fanfiction and the Wikipedia pages. It is from the epilogue, with just bits and pieces added with how I interpreted the scene and Layton's thoughts. The flashback and the letter are both from the game.

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Professor Layton games or the characters.

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**When He's Gone**

Now with Luke overseas with his family, Professor Layton was so grateful that they had found Flora in the curious village that was St. Mystere, and was so glad that she still stayed with him. Without her presence, without her constant laughter, cheerful smile, and even her cooking, his home would have been so quiet, and so sad. It would have been so empty.

He could still remember the day of Luke's departure a few weeks ago clearly.

_Luke stood up from his large suitcase that he had been using as a seat, keeping his head down so that his signature blue hat hid his eyes. _

_ "I suppose this is goodbye." _

_ Goodbye. How the word pained him to hear. He had heard it from the love of his life, whom he knew would never return, and now from Luke, his faithful apprentice and truest friend. Even though he knew that he would see Luke again, the word still hurt. But he kept composure, showing no sadness. "Oh no, my boy. This is 'so long', not 'goodbye.'" _

_ The only thing that pained him more than hearing the word goodbye was seeing the boy sniff, clearly fighting back tears._

_ "Now Luke…You know a gentleman never makes a scene in public." _

_ There was silence, the only sound being Luke's sniffing. And when he turned to face him, his eyes were filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Professor, but I'm not a gentleman yet!" And with that, the boy threw himself into the professor's arms, sobbing loudly into his orange shirt. And, though he'd never tell, Hershel Layton was glad that Luke had decided not to be a gentleman, just that once. Because he needed the hug as much as Luke did. _

"_There, there," he murmured, wrapping one arm around the boy and tilting his hat down with the other. He would miss Luke. He would miss Luke more than anyone would ever understand. Luke was the son he never had and the best and truest friend in the world. _

_And it only felt like moments later that he was standing on the empty dock, watching the ship sail away, taking Luke with it. _

It would embarrass him to admit that he had actually cried that night. Perhaps it was merely because he was still emotional after saying goodbye to Claire for the last time, but he had cried. Flora was bawling her eyes out when he had arrived back home, and he had to comfort her too. But after saying goodnight, he had passed by the room that Luke had so often used. Luke may have lived with his parents, but he seemed to spend more time with the professor and Flora that he was given a room in the professor's house. And when the professor saw the room, bed made, shelves empty, and the teddy bear, Luke's beloved teddy bear, no longer sitting on the bed, he cracked. He walked swiftly into his room so that Flora wouldn't see him like that, and just let the tears fall, for both Claire and for Luke, and even for Clive.

Of course, his home started to brighten up again after about a week. Flora stopped moping about the house, no longer running off to her room in tears at any mention of Luke, and the professor continued teaching, occasionally telling stories of his adventures with his apprentice. All of his students noticed that whenever he mentioned Luke, he would stare off into the distance, remembering. They noticed that he wasn't as cheerful as he used to be, but he was getting better. He was still a gentleman, and was still able to get on with every day activities, but no one expected him to quickly get over the absence of Luke.

He'd check the mailbox every morning, every afternoon, and every night, just in case he had missed a letter. He heard nothing from Luke for a few weeks, but that could only be expected. Whilst it wouldn't take very long for letters to travel between their homes, it would take a while for Luke to settle in a bit. Letters would become much more regular once he was settled in, Layton was sure.

Despite his constant checking of the mailbox, it wasn't him that found the first letter. It was Flora. He remembered hearing her excited squeal from downstairs, before she ran up to his study yelling "There's a letter from Luke! There's a letter from Luke!"

He chuckled at her, keeping composure until she left the room. It was then that a large smile grew over his face, and he hurriedly opened the letter and eagerly read the letter.

_Dear Professor Layton,_

_It's been a while since we said goodbye. How have you been? As for me, I'm all settled in and making new friends._

His smile grew upon reading this line. He was glad to hear that Luke had people he could become close to.

_I'm writing to you because something deeply puzzling happened here recently._

Layton's usual "thinking expression" came upon his face at this point, as well as feeling his heart jump in excitement. Could this puzzling thing mean that he would have to travel overseas to solve it, and see Luke?

_It seems like the sort of mystery that's tailor made for Professor Layton and his apprentice. I don't think anyone else could get to the bottom of this._

His smile returned. He could visit Luke, and solve puzzles and mysteries at the same time. This was simply splendid!

_I've enclosed a document with this letter that will tell you more about the situation. _

_ I can't wait to start this adventure with you! Please write back as soon as you get this letter!_

This, of course, was exactly what the professor was planning to do.

_Your friend and apprentice,_

_ Luke _

The professor put down the letter beside his cup of tea, looking out the window beside his desk and smiling.

_What did I say, Luke? "So long", not "goodbye". _

_

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_Well, I hope you liked it. If you reviewed I will be forever grateful. A gentleman leaves no story un-reviewed.

Nor does a lady.


End file.
